element 5 was founded in 1998 with a vision to use the Internet as a global sales channel for software products. The experience the team has gained in online software sales since then has strongly influenced the company's development of new e-business solutions. Today thousands of software vendors in more than 150 countries use elements 5's solutions to sell their products via the Internet. In April 2004, element 5 became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Digital River, Inc. (NASDAQ: DRIV).

For many software publishers, running a dedicated e-store operation and developing an international customer base are time-consuming and costly projects - and yet increasingly important in today's digital economy. To reduce the complexity, risks and costs in managing these tasks, element 5 offers outsourced e-commerce solutions and marketing services designed to help software vendors increase the worldwide sales of their products over the Internet and through online channel partners. Software sales and profitability can be maximized because the e-commerce solutions are efficiently hosted by element 5.

Minimal investments in technology or services are required because element 5 takes a hosting approach that ensures continual upgrades and support. Order handling, payments, shipping, licensing, logistics, customer service, and a wide range of online marketing options are core components of element 5's e-business solutions. element 5 offers small, mid-sized and large software publishers as well as shareware developers immediate access to the global online market - making their products accessible to customers anywhere in the world.

 

The global sale of electronic goods such as software in particular is becoming increasingly more efficient and economically viable. The solution of element 5 is an outsourced e-commerce solution designed for software publishers that plan to sell their software via the Internet. With minimal technology investment or know-how and element 5's solution, publishers can quickly open online sales channels and new revenue-generating opportunities.

For easy implementation, element 5 integrates its e-commerce system into the publisher's existing Web site, adapting to its look and feel. Available in 11 languages, the solution is tailored to country-based business practices and regulations and supports various international order and payment practices, including standard payment options and currencies. It also offers a choice of fulfillment options. Software can be downloaded electronically, shipped with a license key or ordered as a try-before-you-buy version. element 5's solution also offers physical shipment of shrink-wrapped products as well as a Backup CD service, in which a customized CD-ROM is sent to the customer in addition to the download.

 

 

Additional information about Intel is available at http://www.element5.com.